Business Route 40 - Interstate Business Loop Guide
Interstate Business Route 40
Interstate 40 has 32 active business loops, including the Winston-Salem business loop freeway. In addition, it has one decommissioned business loop and a few other potential business loops that are business U.S. routes.
CALIFORNIA
Needles
Active
Listed in the 1991 California State Signing Log, this business route follows Old U.S. 66-95 (National Trails Highway) via River Road, North Street, Broadway, Acoma Street, and Front Street. This business route also connects to the north disjointed section of Arizona State Route 95.
ARIZONA
Kingman
Decommissioned/Remnant Signage
This business route used to follow Historic U.S. 66 between Exits 48 and 53 via Andy Devine Drive. On May 30, 2003, Business Loop I-40 through Kingman was decommissioned in order to transfer maintenance of the highway from the state of Arizona to the city of Kingman. AASHTO approved the removal of this business loop from the system. The route is now signed solely with Historic U.S. 66 shields, with occasional business loop shields.
Seligman
Active
Business Loop I-40 in Seligman follows Historic U.S. 66 between Exits 121 and 123.
Ash Fork
Active
This is Historic U.S. 66 and Old U.S. 89 between Exits 144 and 146. Notice how it's "old" U.S. 89 and "historic" U.S. 66.
Williams
Active
Historic U.S. Route 66 between Exits 163 and 165.
Flagstaff
Active
Multiplex heaven! Historic Route U.S. 66, Business Loop I-40, U.S. 180, Old U.S. 89, Arizona 89A, and Interstate 17 signs are everywhere along the main street called Route 66. I've been here, and I still can't tell you exactly where the southern end to U.S. 89 is located, but I can tell you which roads will take you to Interstate 40 and Interstate 17. Business Loop I-40 leaves Interstate 40 at Exit 191 and returns at Exit 201.
Winslow (LOOP)
Active
"I was standing on a corner in Winslow, Arizona, such a fine sight to see..." The Eagles (and Jackson Browne) probably sung (and wrote) about a corner that was Historic U.S. 66 and is now Business Loop I-40. This business connection is between Exits 252 and 255. The western end of Business Loop I-40 connects to Business Spur I-40 (see next entry).
Yes, Winslow also has a Business Spur I-40. According to Alan Hamilton, the Business Spur I-40 in Winslow is actually marked, but only at the end away from the interstate. It doesn't connect to anything in particular. The railroad bridge was not part of old U.S. 66. It was built in 1975, about the same time the mainline Interstate 40 was built. Old U.S. 66 followed the same route as Interstate 40; it didn't cross the railroad here. The Business Spur designation does make it the state's repsonsibility, rather than Navajo County. It goes west from Interstate 40, Exit 252. East of Exit 252 is the conventional Business Loop (see above).
Joseph City
Active
Historic U.S. 66 between Exits 274 and 277.
Holbrook
Active
Between Exits 285 and 286, this business route follows Hopi St. and Navajo Boulevard via old U.S. 66.
NEW MEXICO
Gallup
Active
This business route is between Exits 16 and 26, with the exits signed "Business Loop 40, West and East Gallup." Gallup is another city along Historic U.S. 66 and is the new southern terminus to controversial U.S. 666.
Grants/Mount Taylor
Active
Historic U.S. 66 at Exit 85.
Albuquerque
Active
While U.S. 66 was still designated through Albuquerque, Central Avenue was also signed as Business Loop 40. However, as of October 1997, the business loop signage was rare if non-existent, although the I-40 exit on the west side of the city still reads Business Loop 40. Strangely enough, much newer signage on the east side of the city reads U.S. 66 ... the standard guide sign shield, even though the only actual signage on Central is the brown "Historic 66" sign.
Moriarity
Active
Between exits 194 and 197, the business access from I-40 to Historic U.S. 66 is signed as "West" and "East" Moriarity.
Santa Rosa
Active
Historic U.S. 66 and U.S. 54-84 between exits 273 and 277.
Tucumcari
Active
Between exits 325 and 329; called Tucumcari Boulevard and Historic U.S. 66. Also signed as U.S. 54.
TEXAS
Glenrio
Active
Business Spur I-40A connects Interstate 40 to Historic U.S. 66 at Exit 0, which is very close to the Texas-New Mexico State Line. The Exit Authority lists this business spur in its 2000 guide. There is a local route from the west end of the spur (at the state line) that returns traffic to Interstate 40 on the New Mexico side.
Adrian
Active
Business Loop I-40B follows Historic U.S. 66 from Exit 22.
Vega
Active
Business Loop I-40C follows Historic U.S. 66 between Exits 34-37.
Amarillo
Active
Business Loop I-40D goes from Interstate 40 easterly and northwesterly via Amarillo, and then concurrent with U.S. 60 in Amarillo for approximately 10.8 miles, and then southeasterly to Interstate 40; a total distance of approximately 24.4 miles in Potter and Carson Counties. The business route follows Amarillo Boulevard, and the eastern half is cosigned with U.S. 60. The entire routing follows Historic U.S. 66.
Groom
Active
Business Loop I-40F follows Historic U.S. 66 between Exits 110 and 114.
McLean
Active
Business Loop I-40H follows Historic U.S. 66; between Exits 141 and 143.
Shamrock
Active
Business Loop 40J follows Historic U.S. 66 between Exits 161 and 164.
OKLAHOMA
Erick
Active
Four-lane boulevard through a small Oklahoma town. This turns into a full-fledged expressway has it heads east. This business route is also Historic U.S. 66 between Exits 5 and 11.
Sayre
Active
This is Fourth Street (Historic U.S. 66) between Exits 20 and 25.
Elk City
Active
Historic U.S. 66 between Exits 32 and 41.
Clinton
Active
Historic U.S. 66 between Exits 65 and
69.
Weatherford
Active
Historic U.S. 66 between Exits 80 and
82.
El Reno
Active
Historic U.S. 66 lies between exits 119 and 125 and links to Oklahoma 66 at eastern end.
Henryetta
Active
Historic U.S. 266 between exits 238 and 240; also signed as Business U.S. 62-75. Thanks to David Backlin for information on this loop.
Sallisaw
Active
Business Loop I-40 in Sallisaw follows U.S.
59 (between Exits 307 to 308) and U.S. 64.
TENNESSEE
Memphis
Not a Business Loop
Currently, there is no route number for Sam Cooper Blvd. ...and there probably never will be. According to Michael Adams, Sam Cooper Boulevard is a City of Memphis road, not a state highway. Originally, Sam Cooper Boulevard was to be Interstate 40 through the heart of Memphis. Only parts of the planned Interstate were built. There had been discussion back when the transfer of authority was made to sign it as Business Route I-40, Interstate 140, or U.S. 64-70-79, but to no avail.
NORTH CAROLINA
Winston-Salem
Active
Business Loop Freeway commissioned in 1993 by AASHTO. It is partially cosigned with U.S. 158, U.S. 421, and North Carolina 150; mainline Interstate 40 is now routed to the south. This section of Interstate 40 was removed from the Interstate Highway System due to its substandard construction. According to some reports, this business loop freeway may be reintroduced to the Interstate Highway System once its substandard segments are upgraded, possibly as a part of the I-73/74 Corridor.
Greensboro
Proposed
Business Loop I-40 in Greensboro is a freeway planned for existing Interstate 40-85 once the now under-construction Greensboro Bypass is completed. This section of Intersate 40/85 is planned to be removed from the Interstate Highway System due to its substandard construction, including the infamous "Death Valley" segment. Interstate 40 will be replaced with a business loop, much as it was in Winston-Salem. It is likely that this business loop freeway will connect with the Winston-Salem Business Loop Freeway. However, this redesignation is still a few years away. The first part of the Greensboro Bypass, which carries Interstate 85 around the southeastern quadrant of the city, opened in January 2004. Other sections, including the southwestern bypass that will carry Interstate 40 around Greensboro, will not open until later this decade.
Raleigh
Decommissioned
The northern half of Interstate 440, the Raleigh beltway, was known as Business Loop I-40 until 1991. That year, AASHTO decommissioned Business Loop I-40 in favor of Interstate 440. It's not clear to me what drove NCDOT to designate a beltway as a business loop - perhaps the only part of that name that was fitting was "loop." The beltway mostly avoided the downtown area, which is where most business loops go.